Second man refused bail over alleged Prospect gym shooting

A second man has faced court charged over the alleged World Gym shooting that saw an Alameddine family associate targeted as bullets sprayed a childcare centre.

A western Sydney teenager who police allege inadvertently shot up a childcare centre in a failed hit on an Alameddine family associate will spend Christmas behind bars on remand.

Fiti Vernon Ah-Cheung, 19, did not enter a plea or apply for bail in Parramatta Local Court on Saturday, and was formally refused bail to reappear on March 4.

Fiti Vernon Ah-Cheung is the second man charged over the alleged shooting. Picture: NSW Police

Joseph Howard was charged on Thursday over the alleged shooting. Picture: NSW Police

He was arrested by the Criminal Groups Squad at his Blackett home the day prior and charged with 11 offences, including four counts of shoot at person with intent to murder, and one count each of fire firearm in or near public place, intentionally damage property by fire, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority, possess unauthorised pistol, not keep firearm safely-pistol, deal with property proceeds of crime and possess or use a prohibited weapon with permit.

Ah-Cheung is the second man charged over the alleged attempted hit outside World Gym on Rowood Rd, Prospect on November 29.

Police allege Ah-Cheung and Joseph Howard, 23, fired shots from a Mazda wagon at four men including Alameddine family associate Murat Gulasi, as the men entered the gym about 11.30am.

The four alleged targets ran for cover as bullets hailed down on the neighbouring creche full of terrified children and staff.

One of the alleged targets suffered a gunshot wound to the leg but no one else was injured.

Police allege the Mazda was found ablaze at Blacktown a short time later.

Police released CCTV from the childcare centre. Picture: NSW Police.

Bullet holes left in the gym’s creche after the shooting. Picture: NSW Police.

Howard, from Bidwill, was arrested on Thursday and charged with the same offences as Ah-Cheung. He too did not apply for bail and will return to court on December 21.

Police earlier this week released terrifying CCTV from the childcare centre.

The footage showed one child crawling and another playing with a ball in the moments before bullets flew over their heads and into a wall.

“These public place shootings endanger the lives of innocent members of the public, and in this instance, left bullet holes in a children’s play area where young toddlers were being cared for at the time,’’ Criminal Groups Squad boss Detective Superintendent Grant Taylor said at the time.

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